Rawlins Wyoming to Gothenburg Nebraska

We started the day driving by the Wyoming Frontier Prison in Rawlins, Wyoming.

The cornerstone of the prison was laid in 1888, but due to funding issues and Wyoming’s notorious weather, the doors wouldn’t open for thirteen years. In December of 1901, the prison opened and consisted of only 104 cells (Cell Block A), no electricity or running water, and very inadequate heating.

After serving the state for eighty years, the prison closed its doors, and sat abandoned until 1987; a low budget movie titled “Prison” was filmed on location. The movie was one of Viggo Mortensen’s first, but significant damage was done to the prison grounds because it had yet to be considered a historic site. In 1988, a joint powers board assumed ownership of the penitentiary, dubbed it The Wyoming Frontier Prison, and established it as a museum. The Wyoming Frontier Prison has since been listed on The National Registry of Historic Places. ~ Sarah Trapp

On the way to the interstate we passed Saint Joseph's catholic church. It was built in 1915 after a fire gutted the original church. It's bell tower can be seen from all points in the town and is the focal point of Rawlins.

Then there was "The Windy Corner" a souvenir shop on the main drag...

... and The Strand - I think this was an old movie theater but may have been a hotel.

We drove through some very high plains with plenty of snow fences and country that was beautiful this time of year - wouldn't go here in winter without a snowmobile and very warm clothes - I might not go here in winter even with those things.

This very nice rest area is just inside Nebraska in Kimball County...


... with rolling hills...

... a great playground for pent up children...

... and wonderful sunflowers in the hill at the park...

...complete with a little house on the prairie

...

...complete with a windmill.

I can't tell you how huge the sky is in this part of the country.

Even the Musemobile liked the blue sky with mashed potato clouds.

Farther down the road we came to a rest stop near big springs and I had been so impressed with the sky I got out for more sky pictures.

The shots I got may give some idea of the depth of the view and deepness of the beautiful blue we were so privileged to see today.

Scrabble Score - Scrabble Queen wins again but not by too much I have no clue of the final score.

Quote of the Day ~

"My first years were spent living just as my forefathers had lived - roaming the green, rolling hills of what are now the states of South Dakota and Nebraska." ~ Standing Bear (a Ponca Native American chief who successfully argued in U.S. District Court in 1879 in Omaha that Native Americans are "persons within the meaning of the law" and have the right of habeas corpus.)